Common Homophone Errors (and How to Avoid Them)

Do you remember learning about homophones in school, way back when? Well, it’s time for a refresher! Homophones can be a tricky part of writing in English – even for fluent speakers. In this post, we’ll look at the different types of homophones, some of the most common homophone errors, and how to correct these mistakes.

What is a Homophone?

A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning (and often a different spelling). They can cause confusion in writing because they are pronounced identically but used in different contexts (e.g., “wait” and “weight”).

The term homophone originates from the Greek words homo- (meaning “same”) and phonē (meaning “sound”). Put together, they mean “same sound.” Homophones came about due to the natural evolution of language, pronunciation shifts, and the borrowing of words from different languages. English, in particular, has many homophones because it has adopted vocabulary from multiple other languages, including Latin, French, and German.

Types of Homophones

Homophones can be categorized based on their spelling, meaning, and grammatical function – and where the similarities with other words lie. The three main types of homophones are homonyms, homographs, and heterographs.

Homonyms

Homonyms are words that are both spelled and pronounced the same but have different meanings. For example:

Bat	A flying mammal
	A piece of sports equipment
Spring	The first season
	A coil of metal
Bank	A financial institution
	The side of a river

Homographs

Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings. For example:

Lead	To guide or direct
	A type of metal
Tear	To rip something
	A drop of liquid from the eye
Wind	To turn or spool something
	A gust of air

Heterographs

Heterographs are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Here are some that have not just two but three variations:

Pair	Pear	Pare
Sight	Site	Cite
Write	Right	Rite
Sow	Sew	So

Common Homophone Errors

Some words frequently trip writers up, and some mistakes happen simply because of an overlooked typo. Next, then, let’s look at some of the most common homophone errors in writing, plus some tips for avoiding confusion.

Affect/Effect

“Affect” is a verb that means to influence or cause a change in someone or something:

Smoking every day will affect your respiratory health.

“Effect” is almost always a noun that refers to what happened because of an event or situation. It’s the result or consequence of something:

The new teaching method has a positive effect on students’ grades.

As a basic guideline, you can remember that “affect” functions as a verb, while “effect” is typically a noun. Another way to remember this rule is this: A is for action (affect), and E is for the result (effect).

We should mention that “effect” can sometimes, but far less commonly, also act as a verb! In this sense, it means to cause something or bring something about:

The new manager hopes to effect change in the workplace culture.

So be sure not to mix up “affect” and “effect” with this meaning either.

Your/You’re

Since they sound the same, many people incorrectly write “your” when they mean “you’re” or vice versa:

Your going to love this cake. ✘

You’re going to love this cake. ✔

“Your” indicates possession or something that belongs to someone:

Those are your gloves.

“You’re” is a contraction of the words “you are”:

You’re going to feel sore tomorrow if you don’t stretch.

If these two always confuse you, try to replace the word in question with “you are.” If it works, you should use “you’re.” And remember, it’s always “you’re welcome” and never “your welcome” after someone thanks you.

Their/There/They’re

Some of the most common homophone errors involve these three words. So let’s take a look at each one. 

“Their” is a possessive pronoun that shows ownership of something:

Their house is on fire!

“There” indicates location, meaning “in or at a certain place”:

I see a gray cat over there.

“They’re” is a contraction of the words “they are”:

They’re going to see a movie tonight.

To keep track of these homophones, try these tips:

• If the sentence refers to a place, use “there.”
• Inside “their” is the word “heir,” which is a person who inherits things from their family. So, you can remember that “their” shows ownership.
• If you write out “they are” and the sentence reads correctly, the right choice is “they’re.”

Accept/Except

“Accept” is a verb that means to willingly receive or take something:

I happily accept the invitation to your wedding.

Or to recognize an opinion, explanation, or theory as valid:

Patrick accepted the idea that humans can survive on Mars.

“Except” is a preposition that means “excluding” or “other than”:

Everyone except Alice brought a dish to the picnic.

An easy way to remember how to use these terms is to think of the “ex-” in “except” and associate it with “exclude.”

Than/Then

“Than” refers to the second part of a comparison:

Emma is taller than Catherine.

“Then” has a few different meanings and uses, but there are two especially common ones. The first is to indicate time, with “then” meaning “at that time”:

I was studying biology then.

The second is to mean “afterward”:

Let the grill get really hot. Then put the sausages on to cook.

There’s only a one-letter difference between these homophones, so a simple trick is to remember that “than” only has one main meaning, and it includes the letter “a,” as in “compare.”

To/Two/Too

“To” is a preposition used to indicate direction, destination, or purpose:

I am going to the store.

She gave the book to her friend.

“Too” is an adverb that means “also,” “very,” or “excessively”:

I want some ice cream too.

It’s too hot outside.

“Two” is the written form of the number 2:

My grandma has two dogs.

I bought two new hats.

An easy way to remember the definitions of “two” and “too” is that “two” has a “w” like “twins” and “too” has an extra “o” for extra meaning (i.e., “excessive” or “also”).

15 More Examples of Homophones

To give you a head start in understanding and catching homophone errors, we have put together a selection of commonly confused pairs of homophones and their definitions:

Weather – The condition of the atmosphere
Whether – Expressing a choice or doubt

Bear – A large animal OR to endure something
Bare – Without covering or clothing

Peace – A state of calm or lack of conflict
Piece – A part of something

Brake – A device used to stop a vehicle
Break – To separate into pieces OR to take a rest

Hole – An opening in a surface
Whole – Entire or complete

Plain – Simple or clear
Plane – A flying vehicle OR a flat surface

Hour – A unit of time measuring 60 minutes
Our – Belonging to us

Seen – The past participle of “see”
Scene – A setting or part of a play, movie, or event

Weak – Lacking strength
Week – A period of seven days

Sail – A piece of fabric on a boat used for catching wind
Sale – The exchange of goods for money

Discrete – Separate and distinct or not connected
Discreet – Careful or private in speech or behavior

Stationary – Not moving
Stationery – Writing materials, like paper and envelopes

Principal – The head of a school OR the main part of something
Principle – A fundamental belief or rule

Complement – Something that enhances or completes another thing
Compliment – A polite expression of praise

Desert – A dry, barren land
Dessert – The sweet course of a meal

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Updated on April 2, 2025